Box-plaiting device.



No. 700,753. Patented May 27, I902.

F. H. FISHER.v

BOX PLAITING DEVICE.

(Applicstio filed Jan. 13, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEIoE.

FRANK I-I. FISHER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BOX-PLAlTlNG DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,7 53, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed January 13, 1902. Serial No. 89,563. (No model.)

To all whom, it 122a, concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. FISHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in BoX-Plaiting Devices, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means for opening tucks to form thereof box-plaits; and it consists, essentially, of a form or device capable of fitting within the plait and holding and guiding the same, so that said plait may be evenly ironed and the form or device moved forward or backward in the plait during and by the operation of the iron.

The invention further consists of a form or guide having a substantially straight flattened bottom and a front end or toe tapering from the sides toward a central edge and having a rear end or heel widened trans versely and of such width relative to the opening of the plait that it may completely fill the same, the said opposite ends being, substantially similar in shape and size, butreversed in relation to each other, or, in other words, both ends of the device are flattened, with the flattened portion at one end standing at right angles to the corresponding portion of the other end.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a piece of plaited fabric with a form or guide opening one of the plaits to form a box-plait. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the form or guide detached. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is an end view from the rear.

In the said drawings,Arepresents a piece of fabric which has been sewed to form tucks or plaits, certain of which are intended to be converted into what are known as boxplaits. To open up tucks or plaits of this character and prepare them for ironing to form the box-plait is a tedious operation, and even when great care is exercised it is difficult to hold the plaits open, so that when finished by the iron they present a uniform appearance. To facilitate the forming of boxplaiting in an expeditious, simple, and satisfactory manner,lhave devised a simple form or guide which is made of metal or other desired and appropriate material and which is designed to'be introducedinto the wide tuck or plait. to open up the same, so that it may be ironed into a boy-plait. This form or guide is preferably made of a single piece flattened longitudinally and transversely at opposite ends. In other words, the form or guide B has one end a formed with sides which converge at the front edge to form substantially a wedge-shaped entering end standing at right angles to the line of fabric and which opens up the plait by a sort of wedging or spreading action, said sides diverging, preferably,-from the front edge toward the rear end and said rear end being flattened transversely and inclining upwardly and forwardly from the rear extremity and gradually merging into the upper line or top surface of the form or guide. The bottom or under side of the form or guide has a substantiallyflat base-line, as at d, and the sides of the form or guide in cross-section are convexly curved from the marginal edges of the "bottom or base-lineand meet at the top to form a longitudinal central rib or edge e, which engages and operates in the fold or crease of the plait, said fold or crease thereby serving to center and guide the form through the plait, and the flattened or fanlike formation 0 at the rear end of the form or guide serves to spread or flatten the plait transversely equally upon each side of the usual line of stitching to form the box-plait D, and said rear end or heel of the form or guide being thus flattened and drawn substantially to an edge lays the plait closely down upon the body of the fabric and in a position where it may be ironed to retain it in shape.

In operation the wedge-shaped front or toe of the form or guide is inserted in the plait after the latter has been raised from its normal flat or folded position, as shown at E, and when the form or guide is pushed into the plait its too or wedge-shaped front end successively opens the plait, while the heel or transversely-flattened rear spreads the plait down upon the fabric. One end of the fabric being held when the iron, which is commonly used to press the plait into form, is manipulated, it advances the form or guide when it strikes the heel thereof, and it thus forces the form or guide forward into the plait and causes it to successively open up and lay down the plait just in advance of the iron, thereby rendering the'formation of the boxplait simple, rapid, and uniform.

Having thus described myinvention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A boX-plaiting device comprising a body having one portion to open the plait vertically and a succeeding portion to spread the plait transversely and lay it upon the body of the fabric.

2. A device for forming box-plaitiug comprising a body portion having one end to open the plait and having a rear portion or heel flattened or widened transversely and adapted to spread the plait laterally and lay it upon the body of the fabric.

3. A device for forming box-plaiting comprising a body capable of being inserted into the plait and substantially filling the same transversely, and movable therethrough, said body having a flattened bottom or base-line and convex sides joining at the top to form a longitudinal central rib or edge adapted to fit the fold of the plait.

a. A device for forming boX-plaiting comprisiuga body capable of being inserted into the plait and substantially filling the same transversely, and adapted to be moved therethrough, said body having its opposite ends flattened, one in a plane at right angles to the other, one of said ends forming a wedgeshaped toe and the other a flattened heel.

5. A device for forming boX-plaiting comprising a body capable of being inserted into the plait and substantially filling the same transversely, and adapted to be moved therethrough, said body having its opposite ends flattened and disposed one at right angles to the other, to form aWedge-shaped front end, or toe, and a flattened rear end, or heel, said body having afiattened bottom and sides convexly curved and joining each other along a longitudinal central line at the top or upper surface.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK H. FISHER.

Witnesses: SARAH A. FISHER,

ALDINE WV. REILLY; 

